wiredinUSA September 2013

Wire fault downs F-22

The US air force has released the accident report for an F-22 that crashed in November 2012, during a training flight over Florida. The cause of the accident was found to be a worn, high power, electrical wire that was in contact with a hydraulic line. The charged wire eventually caused a hydraulic leak which the aircraft sensors detected, shutting down the hydraulic system in flight. The pilot attempted to restart the hydraulic system and that led to electrical sparks that ignited the leaked hydraulic fluid.

Before the fire could be extinguished (by the fire suppression system) the flight control systemwas damaged, making the aircraft uncontrollable. The pilot had to eject from the plane. The entire F-22 fleet was inspected for similar electrical wiring situations and to ensure that electrical wires are kept away from hydraulic lines. This was the fifth F-22 fighter lost in an accident; the pilot survived in three of them. Two of the crash losses were during testing.

wiredInUSA - September 2013

10